Starting at Pope Army Air Field, North Carolina, and ending at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, airmen from the 62nd Airlift Wing participated in a training exercise May 2-3 sponsored by the U.S. Army Special Operations Command.

The three 62nd AW aircrews flying C-17 Globemaster III aircraft assisted in inserting more than 350 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division, from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, over a training area in Texas to simulate how a joint force would infiltrate and seize an airfield in hostile territory.

"This type of training is very realistic of how we would (enter) into a contested area with enemy close by so the troops can secure the airfield for future operations," said Capt. John Shaw, 62nd AW C-17 pilot. "This is about getting a small combat package into a secure area for more troops and cargo later on."

Along with the three 62nd AW C-17s from Joint Base Lewis-McChord, there were three C-17s from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, and one from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii. Also integrated in with the C-17s were C-130 Hercules, a KC-135 Stratotanker, a B-1 Lancer, and a Navy EA-18G Growler.

"It doesn't really get more complex than what we are doing here," said Col. David Owens, 62nd Operations Group commander. "We had close air support integration, bomber integration, mixed formation with the C-130s, there is really nothing else we could add."

Although the plan for the exercise was complex and the timeline for the aircrews was compressed, the exercise was successful.

"It went very well. We were able to get all of the jumpers on the drop zone and they were able to complete their objectives," said Shaw. "The crews were able to a take ninety-five percent solution (from the mission planning cell) and execute it safely and accurately."

There has been and will continue to been an increase in these type of exercises for not just the 62nd AW, but all of Air Mobility Command.